Ruth’s List Florida Celebrates New Board Leadership

Tampa Florida: After founding Ruth’s List Florida and serving in various board positions for 11 years, Hon. Alex Sink has handed the reins to former State Senator Arthenia Joyner of Tampa. Emma Collum, from Broward County steps up as vice- Chair of the organization.

In the last 11 years Ruth’s List has raised $5 million for candidates, trained 1,800 women and campaign staff and helped elect 169 women to all levels of government in Florida. “I could not be prouder of what we have built and am thrilled to welcome Arthenia Joyner to Board Chair. I’ve no doubt Arthenia will take Ruth’s List to the next level” Sink stated.

Ruth’s List Florida is a state-based organization that recruits trains and supports Democratic pro-choice women seeking local and state office. Founded in 2008, RLF has become the standard seal of approval for Democratic pro-choice women candidates seeking endorsement and support for their races. “I am honored to step in as Board Chair for this critically important organization in Florida. RLF is the only organization building the bench of Democratic leadership in strategic and impactful ways and I am eager to bring thousands more women into the fold. We have aggressive plans to build membership and recruit and train women to seek local and state office. The future of Florida depends on our success.” Said Joyner.

Sen. Arthenia Joyner resides in Tampa. She served in the Florida legislature from 2000-2016 and served as Senate Democratic (Minority) Leader during her last two years in office. She has been a longtime champion of women and families and has been a pioneer and political trailblazer throughout her impressive career. In 1984 she was elected President of the National Bar Association and continued to play a prominent role nationally until she turned her focus on her home state. Senator Joyner received the National Black Caucus of State Legislators’ Lifetime Achievement Award and the President’s Award from Florida A & M University. She was inducted into the Hillsborough County Women’s Hall of Fame in 2014, and in 2015 the Democratic Caucus in the Florida Senate named their annual political dinner for women, The Annual Arthenia L. Joyner Women in Politics Dinner. She is the longest practicing black woman lawyer in the history of Florida and is currently of Counsel at Vanguard Attorneys in Tampa and a Supreme Court appointee to the 2017-2018 Florida Constitution Revision Commission. The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the Tampa-Hillsborough Library Board recently named its new $9.3 million library in her honor.

Joyner will lead a staff of five in partnership with Pamela Goodman, the current President /CEO and Sink will remain serving on the group’s Board of Directors. Programs for this election cycle will touch hundreds of thousands of voters, train campaign staffers and prepare hundreds of women from all walks of life to serve in government. The organization additionally has several teams of grassroots volunteers statewide with hundreds of engaged women and men.